Downloading a .460 Rowland

Interesting. I've not heard of the .460 Rowland, so I've just now perused their site. It seems that, despite claims of .44-magnum-like power, it's more in the ballpark of the .41-magnum, at least with the CorBon loads listed on site (SD loads and Hunter JHP). No doubt other loads push heavier bullets faster. Guess I'll have to do some reading.

Meanwhile, yes, one can always load above or below cartridge specifications. At the low end, you risk malfunctions of one kind or another, and at the high end, you risk explosive disassembly.

So, can your character carry a functionally reliable 1911-style pistol, firing loads hot or light? Sure. Fiction is very forgiving in these matters.

And yes, your character could even do so, realistically, in the really real world of reality as we know it.

To amplify:

IN .45 ACP +P ranges, you're looking at velocities at roughly around 1,000fps to 1,200fps, and in the listed data for the .460 loads from CorBon, you're looking at 1,250fps to 1,425fps. Switching from the upper end of the .45 ACP +P spectrum to the low end of the .460 CorBon seems a relatively small jump, and my own downloaded practice ammo in .45 ACP vs. the usual SD stuff differed by about 300fps. Without changing from the standard recoil spring, the noticeable difference between the lighter-loaded stuff and the usual SD stuff was much slower slide operation, and the empty brass seemed to roll out of the ejection port as opposed to flying out.

What Summonere said.

To add to it briefly, the concerns for "light" rounds are:

1)The protag would likely have to load/reload themselves.

2) They would either have to use a lighter recoil spring to ensure proper functioning--which would add potentially traumatic gun wear-and-tear and tougher shooting on the full power loads--or would risk malfunctions on the lighter loads. Typically in the form of stove-piping.

Q, every .460 I've seen has a compensator for extra slide mass, which turns the pistol into what amounts to an IPSC race gun. Sexy as all get out, but not something you'd particularly want to carry as a real-world defensive weapon.

For real-world (vs Matrix-style fantasy) usage, either the .45 Super or the full-on 10mm is slightly less powerful but is is available in a standard 1911 frame.

Stan

Anyone who carries a gun that big (and heavy) would have no qualms about carrying a smaller gun such as a glock 19, or regular 1911, for backup and would need no downloaded shells.

I agree Stan. High powered pistols are for rednecks. Anyone interested in combat firearms would not go for such a powerful round. But...if you want power, why pussy-foot around.



Makes Dirty Harry look like a pansy.

Oh and while you're at it, throw on some of these sights.

Oh man, you gotta get you one a them .50 BMG handguns, Drachen. You particularly need the "Scissor breach load" feature.

Can you say sprained wrist? Thoughtcha could.

Why not a Thompson-Center version? At least it would look classy.

As for the Glock, that's tactical, man. Tactical.

Stan

With oh-so-cool Homeboy sights (on both sides of the slide for the ambidextrous thug learning handgun holds from movies) the top of Thunder could be fitted with a .50 BMG magazine. Single-shots aren't nearly as cool.

Stanmiller said:

Can you say sprained wrist? Thoughtcha could.

Why not a Thompson-Center version? At least it would look classy.

As for the Glock, that's tactical, man. Tactical.

Stan

Click to expand...

I have the feeling it would look a lot like this. Just substitute bleeding noses for every time the shooter gets his hearing protection blown off.

Well, next time Selene is chased by Lycans down a narrow hallway, she can just bop the first one in line with that “Thunder” .50 BMG spacegun and plow through all the others behind it. One shot stops the whole baker's dozen (or however many...).